Are you prepared for natural disaster? Speakout

High surf along the Pacific Coast temporarily halts service at Port of Long Beach terminals and floods some coastal homes. A quake rocks California’s wine country exacting millions of dollars in damages, crumbling businesses and spilling wine.

And that was just the past week in California.

Natural disaster is part of the landscape and stereotypically laid back West Coasters have come to expect it as part of their life. But are we prepared for it? And how does it play out in our collective memory? That’s the question of the week.

Napa’s 6.0 rumbler took many businesses by surprise. The Vallejo Times Herald reported that fewer than 6 percent of homeowners and renters with insurance actually had earthquake coverage in Napa County. Do you? Are you ready for the Big One?

What does being prepared mean to you? Is it packing up water bottles and keeping some out-of-state phone numbers handy? Or maybe it’s more detailed. Can anyone ever be truly ready?

Perhaps it wasn’t the violent jolt of an earthquake that shook you up.

Hurricane Marie off the coast of Mexico caused some monster waves last week and prompted city officials to erect massive berms along the coast to protect homes.

Were you affected? How do you think the storm was handled?

Thankfully it didn’t turn into a tragedy, but Mother Nature isn’t always predictable.

For many, their lives are divided by catastrophes: the person they were before and the one they are now.

Share with us how natural disasters have shaped how you live, how you treat others and how you view the delicacy of life.

Does being prepared mean living your life every day to its fullest, or is it merely that insurance policy.

You can post your thoughts on the online version of this editorial or send your response to speakout@presstelegram.com. Or send regular mail to us at Press-Telegram, 727 Pine Ave., Long Beach, CA 90813.

Please include your city of residence and a way to contact you. We will publish responses next week.